This invention relates to improvements in or relating to handling or laying pipes and is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with apparatus and method for aligning and/or joining pipes in end to end relationship or simply in reliably handling or moving pipes from one place to another.
Handling and laying of pipes, more particularly large diameter (e.g. 2.4 m) concrete pipes (e.g. 2.5 m long) into the ground, tends to be a time consuming and laborious task. In order to maneuver one length of concrete piping in relation to another pipe already laid in the ground the first pipe may be lifted by mechanical grab(s) to be man-handled into an appropriately aligned end-to-end position with the fixed pipe, the grab(s) usually being supported on ropes or cables perhaps by hydraulic lifting apparatus. Once the first pipe is maneuvered into end to end relationship with the fixed pipe a difficulty then arises in securing the two pipes together. This may be accomplished by hydraulic pipe-pulling means arranged on the outside of the pipes. Such pipe-pulling equipment tends to be disadvantageous because trenches which accommodate the pipes have to be wider to accommodate the pipe pulling gear, the gear is applicable to a limited range of pipe diameters (400 to 750 mm diameter); tends to interfere with the shoring-up system, and is relatively heavy, cumbersome and costly. The heavy weight of pipe pulling equipment means that the weight of pipes which can be handled is less than might otherwise be the case. Clearly, the task of laying pipes or even in reliably and securely handling pipes (i.e. moving pipes from one place to another) tends to be awkward and monotonous but, nevertheless, forms an essential process in the construction industry.
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method to at least alleviate some of The aforementioned or other problems involved with the laying or handling of pipes, or to more easily and/or reliably handle and/or join pipes together.